Net booking system provides flexibility

It’s apparent that for many workers in the UK the nine to five working day is a thing of the past.

The lines between clocking in and out have been blurred by enhancements in technology and the ease of access to information.

The world of financial services is no exception. Increasingly, brokers are having to operate in a 24/7 environment and that’s why we have introduced our online funds booking system.

The system was introduced last month and offers significant improvements to the intermediary business experience as it enables brokers to book funds 24/7, 365 days a year. This means brokers who work evenings and weekends can get instant confirmation.

We are all aware of how the market has had to change in the past couple of years and when we introduced our funds booking system last year it was inevitable that some brokers would have reservations about it.

But this allocation of funds has given brokers more stability as we have been able to maintain our service proposition. It has allowed us to control the volume of business and keep products available without having to withdraw them at short notice.

But as I have already pointed out, brokers need more than just nine to five support which is why we have taken the system online.

It’s vital not to be left behind in the technology stakes and opening up the online portal in this way helps balance flexibility with control in a tricky marketplace.

The Swiss Re Group is a major reinsurer in the group risk market in the UK. As such, their Group Watch 2015 report is a useful indicator as to the current state of play in the area of employer sponsored group life, group income protection, and group critical illness markets.